Who, me?!

The very sweet and SUPER talented Kim of Kim Hardt Originals,
awarded me the Brillante Weblog Award for 2008. Thank you Kim!! :) Please check her out if you haven't already done so...I would love to spend just one day in her Halloween world...each character has such personality!

I'm late posting about this because I had such trouble thinking of who to pass the award onto...I mean, look at my blogroll folks...I am a regular reader of ALL of them and all are deserving! How could I just pick a few?

I have something in the works for another blogger friend of mine that will give everyone a little somethin' somethin, but in the meantime, I'm going to focus the fowarding of this award to painters. I know some of you have gotten this already, so feel no obligation to do it again, just consider it a tip of my hat to you! My sister, who just started a blog of her own (now if she would only show her quilts!), loves the artists that I have showed her and keeps asking where to find them. Well, sis, this is for you:

1) Jane DesRosier
2) Art of Wyanne
3) Noodle and lou studio
4) Time with Tascha
5) Audrey Eclectic
6) Adri's Art
7) Fischtales
8) ll*creations
9) little glimpses
10) Danita Art
11) Suzi Blu



Here are the rules:
1) Put the award logo on your blog
2) Introduce the person who nominated you and there blog name and link.
3)Nominate 7 other blogs along with links
4)Finally post a message letting the blogger know that you have just awarded with the Brillante Weblog Award.

Thanks again Kim! Can't wait to see how the bathroom turns out!

Hugs to all!

A Pink Mermaid!

Once upon a time there was a pink mermaid,
Who lived in a pink sea.
She loved to swim amongst the fish,
And sip on Mermaid tea.

I painted this on Saturday for one of Lillian's friends. Her name is Makayla, she is a swimmer, and loves ANYTHING pink. She actually collects all the pink crayons in the class and puts them in her crayon box. When I taught art, no matter what she did, it was all in pink. So I thought this little girl with her blonde hair and blue eyes NEEDED a pink mermaid! Happy Birthday honey!

My Little PaperClay Ladies

Hi Girls!

Thank you to all who have left comments and visited...I REALLY appreciate hearing from you! I had posted some of the WIP photos of my paperclay girls and some of you have asked how they turned out. Thank you for that too! I like it when you tell me what you woud like to see or even just say hello. So if you haven't introduced yourself to me yet, I'd love to meet you!

But for now, I'd like you to meet some girls of mine. :)

This is my primitive folky girl. Her heart is removable.
She has a fine crackle finish...you know, because she's really old...just don't tell her that! She thinks she pretty young!
The fabric is from an apron I made...a delicate pointsetta print that doesn't scream Christmas. She could hang out all year long.
Her hairband matches her dress and helps keep her hair tied neatly in the back.
Next up is my Spider girl... I wanted to show the feminine side of this little miss.
She is very girly...she loves her tutu and has a sparkly trim right above it.
She's going to be weaving a web today...see her spool of thread?
I'm having a big thing for hair buns right now...she has four...
No, wait a minute! Those are her babies! Some spiders carry their babies until they are ready to go out on their own...my Spider Lady is no exception!
Lastly, my button girl. You know where that fabric is from! This girl can't get enough buttons! She'd probably let you hold her favorite one though...it is removable.

That's it for now! Please let me know what you think...I would love your advice on how I could improve! I made one other clay doll before this, so I am a new to this!

Thanks girls!

Look what I Bought!!

Isn't she just SO sweet?! When I saw her, I knew I HAD to have her! I love the not completely mended heart and the message, but the best part is she looks even better in person! The amazing artist behind this is Mystele. Like me, she just started painting this year and already she is everywhere! Her work is so charming and uplifting...she is a true gem! Please make sure you check her out!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Part 4

The Almeda County Fair...where they have horseraces...Beautiful garden exhibits...

and Madeline's FIRST ever carousel ride...of which she did not say "wee," but "woah" over and over! lol

Next stop...the Santa Monica Pier... and some good times on the beach. Lillian overcame her fear of the waves this year and had a blast jumping them. Madeline's favorite part was chasing the seagulls. See?
Chasing the seagulls...

Madeline just reminded me to show you this...the next work in progress picture!

In other news, I'm learning that I can't use up all of my own recyclable materials...I'm trying like crazy...the paper mache, the bottles and things, but as much as I try, the only thing I'm seeming to accomplish is driving my husband crazy by stashing it all for future use! lol

I also have FOUR girls painted for new paintings! Yeah! Have a great day all! :)

How I Spent My Summer Vacation Part 3

Lake Tahoe! I've never seen freshwater so clear! Check out that view!

My little ladies...

Madeline being a princess...keeping her feet off the rough sand, but still playing in it.
Gold panning in Placerville...we are planning on doing this locally...anyone have any tips? My latest nephew is almost here...aren't they sweet? They will be such great parents!
My sister in-law, Shannon, is an AMAZING cook...and everything is super healthy!
We ate a ton of these too...SO good!

On the ride there I formed these girls. There is a light bulb, a lotion bottle, an easter egg, and 2 spools for thread. Sorry for all the vacation pictures...I'm almost done and promise to show you more crafts and things!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation Part 2

Hey Girls! Lillian here. Did you ever see that movie, "Night at the Museum?" These little guys come to life at night...isn't that cool?! I don't very know...I wish I could take one home with me. That movie has Mickey Rooney in it! I met Mickey Rooney...Mom and I went to his concert and we were walking to our car when he came out. He said hello to me because I was wearing my ruby slippers. I just love him and Judy Garland too! Mom wakes me up every morning singing their Good Morning song. You know, this one:

This is the courthouse in Auburn. We went there with my Aunt Shannie...she is the coolest! They had this big museum there with old stuff and gold too!

Mom really liked the old stuff...lots of the pictures were weird because they were in cases, but this one is great. It's big enough to take it you want!
We really love to see flowers...this one looks like a sea of roses!

Mommy loves old buildings and I would like to live here...we all would. But then I wouldn't have any cousins to spend the night and what good is that?
We stayed with Aunt Shannie and Uncle Micheal Micheal in their new house! It is SO beautiful! Micheal Micheal loves to play music and played this for Madeline when she came to check out his piano. Mommy just loves how her face lit up as he played. She said it's one of those things she will never forget! Do you know what song it is? We would love to know!

Madeline's Special Song

That's all for now! Mommy can't wait to share pictures of her 3D girls! She is already finished with 2 of them! Kisses!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation- Part One

Hey Girls! Madeline Mae here posting while Mom is over there with her tongue stuck out- she's concentrating on painting some 3D girls! I thought you might want to see some pictures from our vacation to California! I was pretty good for being such a little baby and traveling so long in the car, if I do say so myself. Our first stop was Big Bear Lake...isn't it pretty? There is so much to do there too! Fishing, skiing, antiquing, and more! We stayed in a cabin there for 3 days! I especially liked rolling the billard balls under the couches and making the grown ups get them. I played a lot with my Grandma & Grandpa Shim too!
Sissy had a great time throwing shoes for horses? I don't get it. She loved it though!
Me? I prefer Ping Pong! Daddy and Shim played for a long time...Daddy picked up A LOT of balls. The paddles are so yummy! Mommy thought it was gross and wiped it down for me!

This is the alpine slide...you get to ride a chair lift up to the top and then race down to the bottom. Sissy was scared at first, but once she figured out the brakes, she had a blast.
I may be an adventurer, but they said I was too little to go down the slide...I watched them very closely. By the way, I'm shoe fanatic...don't you just love these?! They are my favorite!
Mommy made some things while I had some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa Shim. This is a fairy house so that the fairies can go on vacation too! We left it at the cabin.

She painted this outside on the porch... Sissy and Grandma painted too! The long red hair is because of Lillian and the princess has my blue eyes. After all, we are Mommy's princesses! :) Mommy said she is on ebay right now.

That's all for now! Stay tuned for part two...maybe I can teach Sissy how to use this thing too!